Matt Vinc named St. Catharines Athlete of the Year

Matt Vinc couldn’t believe it when he received an envelope in the mail informing him he was the 2015 St. Catharines Athlete of the Year.

“It was 100 per cent a shock and surprise,” Vinc said, while taking a break from his teaching duties at Denis Morris High School. “Obviously, it’s a huge honour, especially being from St. Catharines and playing here my entire life. I’m proud to say I grew up in the St. Catharines Athletics (organization).

“Every year, you read something in the paper or hear of the great athletes that come out of St. Catharines and the people who have won the award. You don’t really put yourself in that same class. To be able to be recognized like that is definitely an honour.”

Vinc admitted he didn’t know quite what to do when he found out.

“It’s one of those things where when you win a personal award and it’s hard to really tell a lot of people,” he said.

Vinc is more than worthy of the award.

The 33-year-old graduate of Holy Cross Secondary School had another phenomenal season of lacrosse, winning a gold medal with Team Canada in Syracuse at the World Indoor Championships, losing in the finals of the Mann Cup with the Peterborough Lakers, and leading the Rochester Knighthawks to a semifinal berth in the National Lacrosse League playoffs.

“I think this is one of those things where last year I played in three championships and lost two of them. Personally, I don’t think I had that a successful of a year because I didn’t win the end goal,” he said. “That’s every athlete’s main objective, at the end of the year to say you’re successful, is to raise a trophy. I didn’t do that and I did that in other years. Being able to win that last championship in Syracuse helps to say you were somewhat successful.”

Vinc’s overall resume is nothing short of astonishing — two Minto Cups for the St. Catharines Athletics 2001, 2003; two gold medals for Team Canada in field lacrosse as a defenceman; two gold medals for Team Canada in indoor lacrosse; and three NLL titles with Rochester. He has also won a league record five goaltender of the year awards and was named Rochester’s athlete of the year in 2014.

“It’s one of those things where the hardware is great at the end,” said Vinc, who also played as a goaltender for the Welland Cougars and Thorold Blackhawks junior B hockey teams. “When you’re still playing, you’re hungry for the next one. I think that’s one thing at the end of my career I’m going to look back and say I had a lot of great memories with a lot of great friends and teammates.

“When I look at those rings, that’s really what it’s going to symbolize. I look at my Minto Cup rings and those were the best times of my life, growing up in St. Catharines and being able to win here and being able to play for my country.”

Vinc, who was married last July, is in his eighth year teaching at DM. Between his job and his many lacrosse obligations, Vinc admitted things can get a bit overwhelming at times.

“It is definitely a balance you have to try and juggle,” he said. “I’ve been doing it for such a long time. I grew up playing hockey and lacrosse and the seasons run into one another. I think that helped me prepare for this. Anytime one season ends and you weren’t successful it’s easy not to be complacent so you kind of refocus pretty fast and get hungry for that championship. That’s what drove me this year.”

Vinc has given some thought to scaling back, but has been so successful and healthy he wants to continue to play for the foreseeable future.

“I think every year where did the time go? I played a lot of lacrosse but it seems like it happened pretty quick,” he reflected. “I can start to see that the end is going to be near. I’m not looking forward to that day but hopefully I can play three or four or maybe five years and then we’ll look at how successful I’ve been. You want to play as long as you can be competitive. Right now, I feel like I still feel I can be competitive and help my team.”

And when he does finally retire, Vinc plans to be part of the game somehow, either through teaching or coaching.

“I want to stay in the community and try to keep that tradition of St. Catharines lacrosse going,” he said. “Lacrosse has given me the ability to travel around the world and play with some great athletes, some people I looked up to growing up. I’ve had great friends come out of it who introduced me to my wife. Lacrosse has done a lot of me. I couldn’t say thank you enough. It’s been a big part of my life and my family.”